I'm new to this forum and am quite impressed with the thoughtful posts that are here.  I went looking for a forum this morning because I don't understand why Rev Wright has gone on this speaking spree and I am really worried  about what he is doing to Obama's chances.  Why is he doing this?  Does he feel like Barack betrayed him and is getting revenge?  Is he just so egotistical he can't pass up his time on the national stage?  What can Barack do to quash this uproar?  I don't know what he can do, but I know he is smarter politically than me and just have to trust he will come up with something.  I'm afraid the craziness of this preacher and the obvious - at least to me - fact that Obama lied about knowing what sort of politics his preacher preached - will drive away the huge majority of his white supporters.  Am I just being paranoid or does anybody else feel like this is the death knell of our best chance at a great president?

Welcome Phruce.  I think ChasingAmerica wrote an entire post in response to your questions - you should check it out.  Also, Obama completely severed ties with Wright this morning in a press conference.  There was absolutely no room for misinterpretation on where he stands. 

if there's any silver lining, it's that Wright's behavior made it easy for Obama to cut ties with him without appearing to "throw him under the bus". 

good to have you on the forums!  looking forward to hearing more of your thoughts.

First, welcom aboard the Obama Expess.

I was pleased with the Moher's interview on Friday, it highlighted the intellect and religious view of Wright that our media had falied to do in their one minute smippets.  Then I watched the Press Club speech and questioning and became very angry with Wright asking myself, "what is this man's motive?" (on this I may have a different take on Wright than others but here goes nothing)

No matter what attempt I made to rationalize his approach 3 words kept coming back into my thought Process:  arrogance, jealousy, and eneptitude.

ARROGANCE - I believe that Wright gott all wrapped up in the attention that was coming his way this weekend and his composure seen on Moyers turned into arrogance.  It was like watching Al Sharpton tirade during Don Imus and Jenna 6 - "I have the mic and now is my time to shine!"  Wright also has a book soon to be released that may have heighted his rhetoric?  The problem with anyone when they allow arrogance to win is that they let their mouth overload reason.  Wright became the preacher who thought the Press Club and media were present to hear one of his sermons and he was darn certainly going to deliever.  Who knows, inwardly he may want to be another Al Sharpton?

JEALOUSY - I think Wright is a bit jealous of Obama's success to date in the world of white voters.  Wright is have difficulty accepting the 'shitey' is actually listening and supporting a black man.  Barack was correct when, in his PA speech, he said that Rev Wright is still struggling with changes for the good that people of color are experiencing.  (anothe person Iview as being jealous of Obama is Pat Buchanan.  Buchanan can not accept that a black may be on the ballot in November - after all Buchanan had not been able to accomplish this achievement!)

INEPTITUDE - this is our cable 'entertainment' news.  If only they had spent as much time with question of the validity of WMD before going into Iraq as Wright/Obama!  The 24/7 'entertainment' news market does not know how to report on the issues important to voters - economy, Iraq, education, environment, deficits, foreclosures, etc...so it's much easier to do snippets that can, and will, do damage to our country.  I include MSNBC and CNN with FOX on being inept - most are entertainers; not journalists.

On Barack and his nomination - Wright, in my opinion, HAS don damage - the question is how much, for hgow long, and if Wright continues his arrogance and jealousy tirade.  I think that Obama took a day to respond to the Press Club appearance by Wright because he wanted to assure himself that when he spoke out his words would be supported by Michelle.

What can we do to help be Obama on the ticket?  Write or email Superdelegates,  Call or go to NC and IN to help the campaign before Tuesday.  Get on the various political blog sites and let your support for Obama be known.  Email MSNBC, CNN and FOX and tell them that you have heard enough on Wright - get to the important issues!  If you are lucky enough to live in one of the state's with an upcoming primary - write letters to the editor, call into radio shows, talk to friends and neighbors.  AND, most importantly, NEVER give up hope, prayers, and your support for our next President - Barack Obama

Reverend Wright scares me too. I think Senator Obama did right by severing ties with him. I know it must have been a hard thing to do, and I applaud him for it. But I'll paraphrase another columnist I read earlier today (can't remember who, sorry it's been a busy day) when I say that there are some people in this world who scare me more than Reverend Wright. Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Don Rumsfeld, Condi Rice, and everyone who signed off on PNAC's doctrine of a dominant presence in the middle east - they scare me a lot more.

Senator McCain scares me too. Actually he only scares me by proxy. In fact I've long said that he's the one republican I'd consider voting for. What scares me is all the wack jobs he needs to keep happy in order to get into office and stay in office.

Senator Clinton scares me, in some ways more than Senator McCain does. "Do anything to win" is only a few shades of gray away from "the ends justify the means", which has been the dominant theme of the Bush administration.

Am I scared of an angry preacher who has done a lot of good in his life but holds some pretty extreme beliefs? A little. What scares me a lot more are old, well-connected, greedy politicians and businessmen. I think Senator Obama is right to put faith in the American people, who have been abused by those same people for eight years. We know misdirection and smoke and mirrors when we see them.

great point Harold.  What you're basically saying is that while a person's views may be scary, their capacity to act on them is far more frightening.  At the end of the day Wright is just a bunch of words.  The other people you mentioned have the capacity to do harm, and have expressed a willingness to do so.